Refrigerator door construction



Oct. 7, 1952 J. A. SEMPLE 2,612,661

REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 16, 1948 2 SHEETS SHEET l INVENTOR. JBH/y H- SE'MPLE We MW fit tor-nay J. A. SEMPLE 2,612,661

REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Oct. 7, 1952 Filed July 16, 1948 2 smms-smsz'r 2 6? a A 28 4o 34 6? 313*? INVENTOR.

Jbl-IN fi- SEM LE BY (UNITED .srAr

' Patented Oct. 7, 1952 .2 1.1%; .2.

' John A. Sample. Detroit, Micln, assignor to Nash- Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a cor-- poration of Maryland Application July 16, 1948,- Serial No. 39,040

This invention relates generally to refrigerators and more particularly to refrigerator cabinet door construction.

One of the objects of the present invention is. to provide for a refrigerator cabinet, an improved door construction to meet the problems of warp age and ill fits of large doors of the size which extend substantially the full width and height of the cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a large refrigerator door of such rigid construction as will insure its continued trueness, yet one whichis not undesirably heavy or bulky in construction.

Another object'oi the invention is to provide an improved refrigerator door of the above mentioned character which. is inexpensiveto manufacture and one whose parts may be readily assembled.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the followingv description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

(Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigeratonpartiall broken away to show my improved door condoor,.taken;a1ong the line 3- 3'0f Fig.2:

Fig. 4 is :a fragmentary sectional view of the door, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sectional views of the door, taken respectively along the lines 57-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 2; and p Fig. 7 is a broken, rear view of thedoor;

Referring to the drawings, the. refrigerating apparatus shown is of the household type having a cabinet, designated generally by the-ynumeral 20. The cabinet 20 has a food storage compartment 21 which extends substantially fromtop to bottom thereof so as to use substantially all of the volumetric capacity of the cabinet for storage space. At the front of the cabinet 20, the storage compartment 2| thereof is provided with a correspondingly large access opening 22 which is closed by a large door, designated generally by the numeral 24; the door 24 extending substantially the full width and height of the cabinet. The door 24 may be hung by hinges 26 to one of the side walls .of the cabinet proper. Carried by the door 24 on the inner side thereof is a seal 3 Claims. (CL 20-38) or gasket 28,. which is' arranged so as to engage the front surfaces, as at 3B, of the side, top and bottom cabinet .walls to seal the food storag compartment. I

The door 24 comprises, in general, an outer. casing 32 and a separate inner or back panel 34. Theseicooperate in forming a hollow door shell within which heat insulation 36 is preferably pro vided so as to decrease heat leakage into the food storage compartment 2|. The door casing 32is preferably madeof thin sheet materiaLsuch as sheet steel, and the door panel 34 is preferably made of a low heat conducting sheet material,

such as sheet phenolic plastic material.:.l

Withfparticular reference "to Figs. 2 .andv'l;

it will be-seen that the decreasing 32'is of dish shape having atop 38, bottom 40 and sides 42. An inturned flange 44 extends around the .top, bottom and sides of the casing 32 to reinforce'or stiifen'the casing and to support the seal 28'.

The seal 28 is attached to the outer surfaceof,

the casing flange 44 adjacent the edges thereof. Preferably, the door casing flange 44 is a .continuousflange which is preferably provided with a forwardly bent portion 46 extending entirely therearound to reinforce or stiffen the, flange.

Any suitable type of fastener (not, shown) may be used forattaching the seal 28 to the door casing flange 44. The seal 28 maybe made'of rubber or similar, displaceable material and may be formed with abase portion 48 and a base overlapping or lip portion 50. These portions of the seal cooperate to form a channel to receive'an' outer marginal portion of the door rear panel 34 and hold the same to-the door casing 32.

In accordance with my invention, I reinforce the door casing 32 and hold it in desired true shape again st warpage by providing therefor a tie or cross member 52 and by providing diagonal- 1y crossed tie member 54. The cross member 52 is located preferably substantially midway between the top and bottom of the door casing 32 and hasrearwar'dly extended T-shaped end portions 56 secured to the inner surfaces of the door casing flange 44 at opposite sides of the door.

the cross member 52 is preferably of channels'ec-j tion and to facilitate its assembly with the door casing 32', I make the cross. member52 in two sections comprising, a'relatively long, main section '80 and a relatively short end section 62. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the cross member sections 60 and 62 are arranged in telescopic relationship with each other and may be rigidly secured together by self threading sheet metal screws 64 or by any other suitable means. Also,

sheet metal screws 66 may be used to secure outturned fi'anges' of the sections 60, 62 to the inturned flanges of the door casing.

Welded or otherwise secured to the casing flange 44 adjacent top and bottom corners oi. the

termediate their ends where they cross each:

other. To further increase the rigidity of the door casing structure, I arrange the horizontal cross member 52 slightlyl-above the point of crossing; of the tie: members 54*and secure the. cross member separately' to each of the tie members 54 as shown; for? example,.in Fig. 7i,.but.-it.will be apparent that, if desired the cross member 52 may be located: below the point of. crossing of the: tie members 54 1 andzobtain. the same structural result. A reinforcing member 12 is provided-for thecros's member"52, intermediate the ends of the. latter, where member 52'is crossed by the: tie" members? 54. Preferably" the reinforcing memb'eril2 is of channel sectioni of a size to: bewr'eceived snugly inithe channel cross. memherv 52 't'o form therewith:a rigid box section, as shown inimgmei. screws 'lfi oli-othelfi suitable sacuringfimeanslmayibeiusedfttrsecureitheitieimemhere 54: rigidly to" the reinforcing; imemb er. 52 in termediate thelends ofi the latter, .wh'e're member 5235 cro'ssediby theltiem'embersi th In; addition to reinforcing the door casingi 32, I? utilize the cross-member. .52 as a moun'ting-i for a-r doonrlatch; mechanism; designated generally by: 'theinum'erali I6; suitable type: of: door latch .mechamsmrmay: be: empioyedi', thei present latch i.meeh'anism:zhawng a; retractablm latch member 18Jadapted t'o engageakeepen'alrwhich isgmounte'd on: the cabinet. proper. Azsuitabl'e door handle'-.- azma'y: be provided and-Joe: opera tivelyre'onnected xtothe members"! for: re tracting same. The latch. memberlfllficist on:- closed in: a; casing 84' which: may have: anxoutsturnedfi'ange; 86; whichImay-be f secmire'dby.- screws 88. to: -inturnedrflange's' 90I of. the" cross member liZZ Thus; itrwill. be: seen. that. the latch: mechanism 16 and: ther-crossl member" 52: may; bezai. subs-as:- sembly which: maybe. conveniently assembled. as suchwwith the:door.casing- ;32;:

, In assembling the door. 24, the. door. casing.--32 is placedin a holdingv fixture (not-shown): for. holdingthe' casing truewhile the tie and. cross members are assembled therewith. Thecross member5 2 and. the-crossed :ties. 54'are. secured at their. endsto thecasing, and to. each: other to hold the. casingin thedesired true-form.- The cross member sections: 60;, 62 are; individuallyassembled with the casing 32 and are thereafterv secured together by the. screws 64. This sectional. construction-of. the cross. member 52 facilitates-positioning; of its ends 56? past. the: door casing...fi'ange portion. 46; providing the crossed ties attached: to.- the. corners of the; door casing andto. each. other and byproviding a crossrmembe'r. tyihgithe. casing sidesetogether and to the crossedtiea'dt will :be seen that the true of tha door. willlbe retained and. thatitheseal will rn'alre goodlsealihaconta'ctlwiththe frontpt 75 4 the cabinet to insure a tight fitting door. it will also be seen that I have provided for reinforcing a thin sheet metal door casing against distortion without need of using a bulky, heavy frame and that the nature of the door structure provides for ready and inexpensive door assembly. In addition, I have provided, a door reinforcing structureof such character-j as to serve also for supporting a door latch mechanism.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in. detail, it--will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without depar-ting from the spirit of the invention or'frorrr the scope of the appended claims:

ll lna refrigerator cabinet door, a sheet material door casing having top, bottom and sides formed with an inturne'd flange, a channel section cross'member having "opposite ends secured to said flange tying opposite sides'ofthe: casin together, a pair of crossed tie members. secured to said flange adjacent the corners of said casing, a 'channel reinforcing member inserted in and intermediate.the 'endsof said cross member forming aboxi section therewith, andmeans se curing said crossed tiemembe'r's to" said reinforc ing member at points spaced from the: point of crossing of said tiermembers.

2.-I na refrigerator door, a rectangulardoor casing, a pair of-- crossed tie membersfsecuredtat opposite: ends thereof I to and' respectivelyi adia cent diagonally opposite corners ofsaid casing;

riala door-casing: havingtop, bottom andsides formed with an int'ur'ned flange-, achannel sec tion cross member having oppositeends'secured to said? fiange 'tyihg hpposite' sides of th'e'ca'sing together a pair of crossed tie members secured m said flange adjacentthe corners of said c'a'si'ngya' channel". reinforcing member carried solelyby said cross; member forming a box section thres with, and means securing said crossed tiemem bers to saidreinforcing:member at points spaced from the-point of'crossin'g ofsaid tie'mem'bers:

i JQ'HN A; SEMPLEZ REFERENCES GITE-D' The following references are ofrecord in the file of thispatent:

, Great Britain as"..- Feb;- 224. 1932 

